Frequently asked questions

Everyone may have their own reasons for wanting to travel, but for me, the main reason is that I can see things in person that I've read about or seen on social media. Photos don't do justice to the magnificence of Gaudí's Sagrada Familia or Parc Guell, and because the Spanish-speaking world is enormous and diverse, learning from a local guide in the host country allows for much more depth of knowledge. There's something deeply moving about standing in front of a work of art or architecture that's existed for hundreds of years and being able to see it for yourself instead of only in pictures. 

It's my hope that everyone traveling with me will have the opportunity to use Spanish on our trip, though knowledge of Spanish is not necessary to participate. This is also a valuable experience because it allows students to test out their language skills with native speakers in a more authentic context than a classroom. 

Lastly, I want to provide these opportunities to students because I think travel is fun! What's not to love about trying every heladería (ice cream shop) that you pass in Madrid, trying new things like flamenco dancing, shopping for souvenirs, and taking the stairs to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower? (OK, students might disagree with me on that last one. :D)

These trips are open to Fort Calhoun Community Schools students who will have completed grades 9-12 the year that the tour takes place, as well as Fort Calhoun graduates who are 23 and under at the time of the tour. Older graduates are welcome but would need to pay the adult price rather than the student price, per tour company guidelines. 

Depending on group size, parents who have a student traveling may participate at their own expense. Based on my own experience as a parent, I don't believe these trips would be enjoyable for children younger than middle school because they involve a lot of walking and sightseeing. However, if you have middle school age children that you would like to bring with you and your 9-12 grade student, please talk to me. 

You will need a passport that is valid six months after the completion of the tour.  For specific destinations visas may also be required, and Ms. Saalfeld will let you know if you need one.  Both documents must be purchased separately and are not part of the trip cost. If your passport will expire in less than six months after the trip, please renew it prior to the trip, as you may not be allowed to travel if your passport will expire soon.

I would recommend 6-9 months prior to departure. I'm required to provide passport information a few months prior to departure in order for our tour company to buy plane tickets and tickets to site visits, so ideally everyone should have passports in hand by February of the year of tour. 

The following items are not included in the trip cost. Some of this will depend on individual student preferences, but I would plan on a minimum of $500 for these additional expenses. 

• passport

• visa (if applicable)

• lunches

• drinks at meals (other than water)

• spending money

• additional travel excursion offerings

• gratuities for tour director and bus drivers

In addition, if we're a small group, we will be combined with other smaller groups for our travel and lodging. Explorica charges a small fee ($5/person/night) to share rooms only with members of our own group. I am not able to add this to our tour up-front, but this will be a required tour expense. 

We will do some group fundraisers, but the fundraisers will pay for a small portion of each student's trip. I will release group fundraising funds to students shortly prior to departure so I would plan to consider any group fundraising money as part of students' additional expenses/spending money. Explorica gives each trip participant a dedicated fundraising page that you can send out to friends and family so that they can contribute directly. Apart from that, students should plan to fundraise on their own by doing things like babysitting, mowing lawns, etc. 

Our tour company recommends packing a carry-on to maximize the odds that your suitcase goes with you. More specific packing list to come. 

Your child may use a regular cell phone with a wifi connection in Airplane mode to avoid international charges; however, I recommend purchasing an international plan while your child is traveling to allow for calls, texts, and data. For the 2023 trip, my international plan cost $10/day. 

Most trips will last around 10 days.

The tour company recommends bringing only a small amount of cash and withdrawing more cash as needed. Your bank may be able to get the currency you need prior to the trip (I was able to order euros from FNBO prior to our 2023 trip), and then students may use a debit card or withdraw money from a local ATM as needed. 

Please email me at anita@fortcalhountravels.com and I'll be happy to go over any questions or concerns you might have!